Euro NCAP: Five Stars and Best Marks for Škoda Yeti

AUTO CENTRAL – August 27, 2009: The best marks for safety for the Škoda Yeti: in the new, toughened crash test performed by Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme), Škoda's compact SUV has achieved the highest rating – five stars. Besides adult occupant protection, the overall result reflects the vehicle's excellent child occupant and pedestrian protection parameters.

The Yeti's top-class safety test results include those of a “whiplash test”, a new category established this year to assess the stability of the seats and the degree of protection of the occupants from cervical spine injuries in rear impacts. The Yeti's result is one of the best of all the vehicles tested so far. “Škoda has shown that it provides an equal degree of protection for passengers of all sizes, sitting in various positions (in all seats),” says the Euro NCAP assessment report.

“The result shows our commitment to safety aspects at the development stage that also includes seat geometry tests and the strength of the applied materials. We test various seat settings and work hard to improve the properties of the entire system. To ensure maximum possible protection, the system must be in perfect harmony. We use state-of-the-art technology and test methods, as safety is one of the key aspects in developing new Škoda vehicles,” says Dr. Eckhard Scholz, Škoda Auto BOD member responsible for technological development.

In its assessment report, Euro NCAP mainly appreciates the degree of protection provided by the knee airbag (available as standard in Germany). The Yeti can be fitted with as many as nine airbags. Thanks to the stable body structure made of high-strength steel, this compact SUV has received excellent 92 percent in the occupant protection category and, thanks to optimum protection provided by airbags, the maximum possible number of points in the side impact category.

Škoda engineers have put great emphasis on active safety in developing the Škoda Yeti. As required by Euro NCAP, the passenger airbag indicator light comes on when the airbag is deactivated. Upon starting the vehicle, an “Airbag On” display informs the driver that the airbag is activated. As a standard part of the vehicle's equipment, the Škoda Yeti is fitted with the ISOFIX system for mounting child seats onto rear seats.

Besides occupant protection (especially child protection), pedestrian protection parameters are excellent, too. In this connection, the car has received the maximum number of points for the bumpers.

With the test results described above, the Yeti has proved to be one of the safest cars in the market.